Name: Canada Immigration Levels Plan - What it means for Newcomers
Brand: Moving2Canada
Rating: 4.09 (11 reviews)

By Rebecca Major

Updated on November 4, 2025

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Every year, stakeholders around the globe watch the Canada Immigration Levels Plan to make important decisions based on Canada's annual intake of newcomers.

Targets Set For Permanent Residents In 2026-2028

Immigration category	2026 Range	2026 Target	2027 Range	2027 Target	2028 Range	2028 Target
Overall Planned Permanent Admissions	350,000-420,000	380,000	350,000-420,000	380,000	350,000-420,000	380,000
Economic Immigration	224,000-264,000	239,8000	229,000-268,000	244,700	229,000-268,000	244,700
Family Reunification	78,500-92,000	84,000	75,000-90,000	81,000	75,000-90,000	81,000
Refugee, Protected Persons, Humanitarian and Compassion, and Other	48,000-64,000	56,200	46,000-62,000	54,300	46,000-62,000	54,300
French-speaking Permanent Resident Admissions outside quebec	-	30,267	-	31,825	-	35,175

Read the full analysis in our dedicated article: Canada’s 2026 Immigration Targets

Temporary Residents Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the immigration targets for the Temporary Residents, which includes International Students and Temporary workers:

	2026	2027	2028
Target Arrivals	385,000 (Range: 375,000 – 395,000)	370,000 (Range: 360,000 – 380,000)	370,000 (Range: 360,000 – 380,000)
Workers (Total)	230,000	220,000	220,000
International Mobility Program (IMP)	170,000	170,000	170,000
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)	60,000	50,000	50,000
Students	155,000	150,000	150,000

What is the Canada Immigration Levels Plan

The immigration levels plan is the most important announcement of the year in the Canadian immigration space. It outlines Canada’s plan for the number of permanent residents the country will accept over the following three years. Planning for multiple years ahead provides some stability and predictability for both immigrants and the various stakeholders involved.

Level plans are created to support key priorities in Canadian immigration. Economic-class targets are set to support economic growth and labour shortages. Family-class levels demonstrate Canada’s commitment to family reunification. Refugee/humanitarian classes uphold Canada’s humanitarian commitments to the world.

Watch here the official 2026-2028 announcement:

Why Canada Needs Immigrants

Immigration is vital to Canada’s demographic and economic health. According to IRCC, immigration represents nearly 100% of the country’s population growth and is essential for increasing the working-age population between 15 and 64 years old.

Without immigrants, Canada’s population would begin to decline over the next 20 years as it continues to age, even though immigration alone cannot fully solve the challenge of population aging.

Economically, immigrants make a greater contribution to Canada’s pool of highly skilled workers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) than their Canadian-born counterparts. While immigrants make up 23% of the population, they hold about 50% of all STEM degrees.

IRCC also highlights that immigration fuels entrepreneurship and job creation: immigrants, especially those in the economic class, are more likely to own businesses, including firms in knowledge-based industries.

Finally, from a fiscal standpoint, IRCC notes that immigrants admitted after 1980 have made positive net direct fiscal contributions, with economic immigrants contributing more on average than both other immigrant groups and Canadians overall.

How Does Canada Decide How Many Immigrants To Admit Each Year?

The immigration levels plan is created each year through a structured and consultative process that involves several key steps and considerations.

The process begins with the Canadian government conducting extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, employers, immigrant advocacy groups, and the public. These consultations help identify the priorities and needs of different groups.

The government also assesses Canada’s economic needs and demographic trends. This includes analyzing labour market data to identify shortages and how immigration can fill the gaps in the workforce. Canada’s ongoing demographic challenges, such as an aging population and a low birth rate, are also considered in setting targets.

In Canada, immigration is a shared jurisdiction between the federal government and the provinces and territories. The objectives of these governments can change over time and may be influenced by political, economic, and social factors. The federal government takes into account the needs of the provinces and territories when developing the plan.

Canada’s immigration plan must align with international obligations, including commitments to refugee resettlement and humanitarian efforts. Additionally, the government considers the public policy aspects of immigration, such as family reunification and human rights.

Once the plan is developed, it is presented to the Canadian Parliament for approval, which ensures democratic oversight of the process. No one, not even Canadian media, gets to see the plan before it is tabled in parliament. (And if they do, they are darn lucky!)

The plan is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains relevant and effective in achieving its intended goals. It can be adjusted over time if necessary due to changing circumstances, such as economic shifts, global crises, or specific events that may require a response in immigration policy.

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Previous Years – Immigration Levels Plans

2025-2027

Published on: October 24, 2024
Detailed Plan and Analysis: Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027.

Immigration Class	2025	2026	2027
Overall	395,000	380,000	365,000
Overall - Range	367,000 - 436,000	352,000 - 416,000	338,000 - 401,000
Economic	232,150	229,750	225,350
Family	94,500	88,000	81,000
Refugee	58,350	55,350	54,350
Humanitarian	10,000	6,900	4,300

2024-2026

Published on: October 31, 2023
Detailed Plan and Analysis: Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026.

Immigration Class	2024	2025	2026
Economic	281,135	301,250	301,250
Family	114,000	118,000	118,000
Refugee	76,115	72,750	72,750
Humanitarian	13,750	8,000	8,000
Total	485,000	500,000	500,000

2023-2025

The plan was published on: November 1, 2022
Detailed Plan and Analysis: Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025.

Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025

Immigration Class	2023	2024	2025
Economic	266,210	281,135	301,250
Family	106,500	114,000	118,000
Refugee	76,305	76,115	72,750
Humanitarian	15,985	13,750	8,000
Total	465,000	485,000	500,000

2022-2024

The plan was published on: February 14, 2022
Detailed Plan and Analysis: Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024.

Immigration category	Category	2022 Range	2022 Target	2023 Range	2023 Target	2024 Range	2024 Target
Economic Programs	FSW, FST, CEC (Express Entry)	52,000-64,000	55,900	63,000-84,000	75,750	91,000-118,000	111,500
	Federal Economic Public Policies	30,000-48,000	40,000	25,000-42,000	32,000	-	-
	Business	800-1,500	1,000	800-1,500	1,000	1,000-2,000	1,500
	Economic pilots: Caregivers; Agri-Food; Rural and Northern	4,000-10,500	10,250	7,000-18,000	11,250	8,000-20,000	12,750
	Atlantic Program	4,000-8,000	6,250	4,000-10,000	6,500	4,000-12,000	6,500
	PNPs	80,000-95,000	83,500	82,000-95,000	86,000	88,000-98,000	93,000
	Quebec (Skilled Worker & Business)	Check Quebec immigration plan numbers	Check Quebec immigration plan numbers	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Total Economic	210,000-248,000	241,850	222,000-259,000	253,000	235,000-273,000	267,750
Family Class	Spouses, Partners, and Dependent Children	68,000-81,000	80,000	70,000-84,000	81,000	70,000-84,000	81,000
	Parents and Grandparents	19,000-31,000	25,000	22,000-38,000	28,500	27,000-43,000	32,000
	All Family Class Programs	90,000-109,000	105,000	94,000-113,000	109,500	99,000-117,000	113,000
Refugees and Protected Persons	Protected Persons in Canada & Dependents Abroad	20,000-27,500	24,500	20,500-28,000	25,000	21,000-28,500	25,500
	Government Assisted	15,500-24,000	19,790	13,500-26,000	17,260	10,000-19,500	13,000
	Blended Visa Office Referred	100-1,100	1,000	100-1,100	1,000	100-1,100	1,000
	Privately Sponsored	19,000-34,000	31,255	19,400-34,000	30,795	15,500-28,000	23,000
	Total Refugees and Protected Persons	55,000-79,500	76,545	57,000-82,000	74,055	50,000-75,500	62,500
Humanitarian and Other	Total Humanitarian & Other	5,000-8,500	8,250	7,000-11,000	10,500	6,000-9,500	7,750
Overall Planned Permanent Admissions		360,000-445,000	431,645	380,000-465,000	447,055	390,000-475,000	451,000

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About the author

Rebecca Major

She/Her

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant

Rebecca Major is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (R511564) with nearly 15 years of licenced Canadian Immigration experience, gained after graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in the UK. She specializes in Canadian immigration at Moving2Canada.

Canada Immigration Levels Plan

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Every year, stakeholders around the globe watch the Canada Immigration Levels Plan to make important decisions based on Canada's annual intake of newcomers.

Targets Set For Permanent Residents In 2026-2028

Temporary Residents Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028

What is the Canada Immigration Levels Plan

Why Canada Needs Immigrants

How Does Canada Decide How Many Immigrants To Admit Each Year?

Join our Growing Community!

Previous Years – Immigration Levels Plans

2025-2027

2024-2026

2023-2025

Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025

2022-2024

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About the author

Rebecca Major

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